Mehmet Barış Manço, better known by his stage name Barış Manço, was a Turkish rock musician, singer, composer, actor, television producer and show host. Beginning his musical career while attending Galatasaray High School, he was a pioneer of rock music in Turkey and one of the founders of the Anatolian rock genre. Manço composed around 200 songs and is among the best-selling Turkish artists to date and the winner of the most awards. Many of his songs were translated into other languages including English, French, Japanese, Greek, Italian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Persian, Hebrew, Urdu, Arabic, and German. Through his TV programme, 7'den 77'ye, Manço travelled the world and visited many countries. He remains one of Turkey's most popular public figures long after his death.

Galatasaray High School, established in Istanbul in 1481, is the oldest high school in Turkey. It is also the second-oldest Turkish educational institution after Istanbul University, which was established in 1453. The name Galatasaray means Galata Palace, as the school is located at the far end of Galata, the medieval Genoese enclave above the Golden Horn in what is now the district of Beyoğlu.